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A NEW THEORY. 



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IB^T ~ttEZST~ EID-W^.^ID SCOFIELD. 



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MISHAWAKA, IND : j 

NORMAN V. BKOWER, Printer, j 

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A S0LAE DUMB. 



A NEW THEORY. 



B"*2" REV- :e:DW.A.:R,:0 sOOIFT'ETjTD. 



MTSrtAWARA. iNth 
NORMAN V. BROWER, Printer. 

1S67. 



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Eatere4 according to Act of Congress, in the year 1867, 
By EDWARD SCOFIELD, 

In the Clerk's Office of the Distiict Court of Indiana. 



,v^ITR ideas in this life concerning the blessed con- 
%JP dition and employments of saints in heaven, 
lire necessarily limited and indistinct. This is owing 
for the most part to our present mode of existenae, 
and to the fact that our knowledge of these things is 
derived from Biblical representations taken from na- 
ture, art, the church, and civil government. "Now 
We see through a glass darkly." 

That the heaven of the saved of our race is a place, 
as well as an unending, active, holy and felicitous 
state, there can be no reasonable doubt. But where 
in the vast universe it is located, God has not dis- 
tinctly designated to us in our present life. Bat are 
there no indications of its position among the Crea- 
tor's works ? In some things where no direct reve- 
lation has been given, we are under the necessity of 
inferring important truth from existing data. Th^ . 



k SOLAR HEAVEN, 



heathen are under obligation to deduce irom t he- 
works ancl providence oi God, not only his existence, 
but his natural ancl some of his moral attributes/ 
"Because that which may he known of God is mani- 
fest in them ; for Gocl hath showed it unto them, 
For the invisible things of him from rhe creation of 
the world are clearly seen, being understood by the 
things that are made, even his eternal power and 
Godhead, so that they are without excuse," Rom, 
1:19,20. 

Are there not astronomical phen&mena, Scriptural 
'illustrations, mental verities, and historical events 
connected with the providence of God, in respect to 
the ancient Jewish church, sufficiently suggestive to 
indicate where is situated Earth! s Heaven ? These 
Unnoticed indexes constitute the basis of this work. 

The Theory now presented, however novel, is not 
then purely chimerical and conjectural, hut founded 
upon reasons and analogies deduced from at least 
seeming data. 

Every solar system may have in a certain sense its 
•own heaven, or location where God reveals himself 
■and his will as he does not in any other part of that 
system. As an illustration — Jehovah made himself 
known to his ancient people in Jerusalem, as he did 
Hot in any other place; so he may manifest himself 
at the center of every solar system, as he does not in 
the primary or secondary planets. 

A solar system, is a group of celestial bodies, com- 



A SOLAB IIE4VEX. i 

preli^'Uin;^ the sun, planets, satellites and comets. 
These stars, ijnoons and comets revolve around the 
huh, the center of the planetary system. Though the 
sun has ai) apparent motion., it is as to the system a 
quiescent h xly, turnii]g only on its own axis. 

General Mitchell, in his u Astronomy of the Bible," 
in treating on the vast extent of the physical universe, 
and its innumerable solar systems, says; "It is reck- 
oned that nqt less than one hundred millions of stars 
tire now visible within the Unfits of the Milky Way. 
In case we admit (as is probably true) that each of 
these stars is a sun, $n<j that each is, a center of sur- 
rounding planets, we are forced to adnjit the exis- 
tence of a thousand millions of worlds witluu the lim- 
its ot one great and populous cluster. Other Milky 
Ways are seen in the distance beyond, as va t st if not 
greater than ours, until at last our telescopic ray ex- 
tends so deep that its length, furnishing a joiu-ijev' 
for the swift wing of light for more than three mil- 
lions of years, fails to plunge across any other mighty 
deep, and we stand wondering and awe struck on the 
very threshold of infinitude! What shall we say 
then of the possibility of measuring' the depth of the 
vast promont >ries of the stars which distinguish the 
Milky Way, where star is ranged behind star, anl\\ 
the stratum is five hundred deep ?" 

Says a writer: "If a man were to travel a million 
of miles a day, he would not reach the nearest tixec| 
^tHV fij twenty-four hundred thousand years!*' In 



D A .SOLAR HEAVEN. 

view of such immensity, we may well exclaim in the 
language of God's Word, "When I consider thy 

heavens, the work of thy finger.-, the moon and the 
stars, which thou hast ordained ; what is man, that 
thou art mindful of him? and the son* of man that 
thou visitest him 8 " "The heavens declare the glory 
.of God; and the firmament showeth his handy work." 
u O Lord, how manifold are thy works, in wisdom 
hast thou made tliem all ! H ' "The works of the Lord 
are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure 
therein." 

If our Sun is the stupendous celestial Temple of 
our solar system, whore God affords a nearer $nd 
more immediate view of his perfections to the loyal 
inhabitants of surrounding worlds, than lie does to 
them in their respective places of abode; then the 
. saints in their glorified state, should their present 
mansion be one of our planets, have for their heaven-* 
]y Jerusalem our central world, where they, with an* 
gels, worship God and the Lamb. 

This Divine Solar Palace, this Holy of Holies of 
our system, would then be the Metropolis of Christ's 
heavenly kingdom ; where he now "sits on the right 
hand of power, having angels (of our system) subject 
unto him." 

Jf this Theory be a reality, then all that is said in 
■tli£ 3ible concerning creation, holy angels, the devil 
find his angels — seraphim, cherubim, thrones, domin- 
ions; powers and principalities, ("which may refer to 



A SOLAR HEAVEN. 9 

different orders of intelligent beings inhabiting our 
planets] — of human being-, of the Divine govern- 
ment, of Christ as a Savior, and in all his offices, of 
the Holy Spirit in his work in securing man's salva- 
tion, of the church or Redeemer's kingdom, of the 
final conflagration ot the heavens and the earth, of 
the resurrection of the dead, of a general judgment. 
of heaven and hell, have reference to our solar sys- 
tem only. The whole and parts of all scriptures 
should be construed according to the subject matter 
under consideration. Are not the revelations of the 
Bible, except some m respect to God in Unity, just 
as they would have been if they had reference only 
to our solar system ? 

According to this Theory I infer that Satan and 
his angels, forming perhaps an entire order of beings, 
inhabiting one of our planets, rebelled in the govern- 
ment of God, and were banished from the world they 
occupied; that their place of habitation was con- 
sumed, and may be the place prepared for their pun- 
ishment, and where the finally impenitent of earth 
shall suffer the penalty of God's violated iaw 5 and the 
just desert for the increased guilt of "neglecting the 
great salvation." "And the angels which kept not 
their first estate, but lett their own habitation, he 
hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness 
unto the judgment of the great day." Jude 6. See, 
II. Pet. 2:4. "Depart from me, ye cursed, into ev- 
erlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels* * 



10 A SfcLAiZ hE\YK$. 

Matt. 25:41. 

"Daring the last two or three centuries," says oft 
author, "upwards of thirteen fixed stars have disap- 
peared. One of them situated in the northern hem- 
isphere presented a peculiar brilliancy and was so 
fright as to be seen by the naked eye at mid-day* 
It seemed to be on lire, appearing at first of a daz- 
zling white, then of a reddish yellow, and lastly of 
an ashy pale color, La Place supposes that it wag 
burned up, as it has never since b^en seen* The coir 
flagration was visible about sixteen months. 55 Bu 
the habitation of the apostate angels may have been 
consumed. 

In presenting this Theory of a Solar Heaven I 
call attention to the vastness of our Solar Systtffa 
It contains not far from, one hundred primary and 
secondary planets, and not leas than one hundred 
comets. Frequent discoveries are made of new orbs 
connected with our system. 

So far as known to us the nearest planet to our 
Bun is Mercury, which is thirty-seven millions of 
iniles distant from it. It completes its revolution 
ground the Sun in about eighty-eight days, which is 
the length of its year. Jupiter, the largest oi the 
known planets, at the distance of four hundred and 
Ninety-five millions of miles from the Sun, accom- 
plishes its revolution in eleven years and three hun- 
tired and fifteen days. Oar distance from the Sun is 
luuety-five millions of miles, and hence our revolu- 



A SOLAR HEAVES'. M 

tfon around it is about eleven years less than that of 
Jupiter. Neptune, a vast world, and the most re- 
itiote planet, discovered a? late as 184:6, is distant 
from the Sun about three thousand millions of miles, 
jmd is one hundred and sixty-eight years in making 
its revolution around it. Says a calculator: *MIad 
Adam and Eve started by a railway to go from Nep- 
tune to the Sun, at the rate of fifty miles an hour, 
they would not have arrived there yet, for Neptune 
is more than six thousand years from the center c>f 
the system at that rate." 

I lu\va noticed particularly the earth, the nearest, 
largest, and most distant of our planets. What an 
infinite territory does our entire salar system contain, 
with its one hundred discovered planets and satel- 
lites, and as many comets; furnishing material for 
thousand upon thousands of ages for studying tl\a 
wonderful greatness, omnipotence, infinite wisdom 
and goodness of God, and all his perfections in this, 
boundless field manifested ! 

Still mn*e deeply may we be impressed with the 
apparent truthfulness of this Theory, as we consider 
the immensity and nature of our glorious Sex. Dr. 
Thomas Dick says: "The magnitude of the vast Sun 
is an object which overpowers the imagination. Its 
diameter is eight hundred and eighty thousand miies, 
and its circumference two million seven hundred 
and sixty-four thousand and six hundred miles, 
Were a person to travel along the surface of the Snr* 



12 A SOLAR HEAVEN. 

so as to pass along every square mile on its surface, 
at the rate of ihirty miles every day, it would require 
more than two hundred and twenty millions of years 
before the survey of this vast globe could be complet- 
ed. It would contain within its circumference more 
than thirteen hundred thousand globes as large as 
ours; and a thousand globes of the size of Jupiter, 
which is the largest planet of the system. It is more 
than five hundred times larger than all the planets, 
satellites and comets belonging to our system, vast 
and extensive as some of them are. Were we to con- 
ceive of its surface being peopled with inhabitants 
like ours, it would contain more than six hundred 
and eighty billions; which would be equal to the in- 
habitants of eight hundred and fifty thousand 'worlds 
like ours. Of a globe so vast hi its dimensions, tho 
human mind, with all its efforts can form no adequate 
conception. It is impossible fnv the mind to take in 
the whole range of the terraqueous globe, and 
to form a comprehensive idea of its amplitude and 
its innumerable objects; how can we ever form a 
conception approaching to the reality, of a body one 
million three Jiund red thousand times greater ? It 
is not improbable that the largest ideas we have yet 
acquired or can represent to our minds of- the im- 
mensity of the universe, are inferior to a full and 
comprehensive idea of the vast globe of the Sun in 
.all its connections and dimensions. It is a kind of 
Bui-verse in itself," 



A. BOLAk ITEIyEIn. lo 

This Theory then does not present a circumscribed 
view of heaven; but a capacious, vast, glorious celes- 
tial .Mansion. 

We have but little knowledge of the physical na- 
ture of our central luminary— conjectures respecting 
it have been various, and often most; fanciful. The 
dark spots occasionally appearing on the Sun, some 
<of them as large as our earth, may be objects of ineffa- 
ble beauty from it as a stand point. There is no ev- 
idence of intense heat existing in or about the Sum 
What its light principle is remains a mystery ; it is 
not a part of the globe, but surrounds it 

Having thus prepared the way, I will now present 
some special reasons, or adduce some particular indi- 
cations in support of the Theory of a Solar Heaven, 
and hence that our central world is the ".New Jeru- 
salem" of the redeemed of our race. 

*X. The ineffable beauty, amazing magnitude, won- 
derful glory, and vast usefulness of our Sun, clearly 
show that it was designed for a greater physical, men- 
tal and spiritual purpose than this world, or all of 
our planets. It is five hundred times greater than. 
all the other globes of our system combined ! "The 
Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his 
works." An astronomer says: "There is no single 
object within the range of our knowledge that af- 
fords a more striking and august emblem of its Cre- 
ator than our Sun. In its luster, in its magnitude, 
fil its energy, in its boundless influence, and in its 



li A &OLAE HE A VEX. 

beneficial effects on, tlijs earth and surrounding* 
worlds, there is a more bright display of Divine per- 
fection tU-an in any oilier material being of which 
we are acaiviiAted,.' 7 AH of Good's works are made 
<4 in wisdom/' 

Said 0.11 r Savior: "In my Father's house are many 
mansions." God's house is the vast universe — a 
mansion in it signifies an apartment or a particular 
world. Our Sun is a most splendid mansion in 
Christ's Father's house, and may be the location 
where he lias gone to prepare places for his followers, 
where they shall be with him, behold his glory, and 
statedly worship in the triumphant church. 

JI. lleaven is represented in the Scriptures as a 
world of glory. Pron\ whence was this figure d$- 
rived if not from our glorious Su,n \ Says Dr. Dick: 
" Whatever the body ©f light around the Sun is which 
diffuses itself throughout the planetary system, 
whether phosphoric clouds in perpetual motion, or 
how produced and kept in continual action, is a mat- 
ter of mere conjecture. But in whatever it consists 
it is pretty evident that it forms a shell or covering 
arou,n.d the dark body of the Sun of several thousand 
miles in thickness." May not this glorious Shekinah 
which enjiirhtens our planets, shine inwardly arid il- 
luminate its own vast realm with inconceivable, 
beautiful and cheering splendor I "And the city 
l>ad no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine 
ih it, for the irlorv of God did lighten it, and the 



A ftOLATi HEAVED. 15 

Lamb fe the i\0Lt tTie£e&£" Tlie Divine glory man- 
ifested in creation, providence and grace, illuminates 
the universe. AYlien Christ was transfigured "his 
face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white 
as the light." He is "the brightness of the Father's 
glory."" He reflects the glory of God to an infinite 
degree. Hence he, the "Sun of Righteousness," il- 
luminates the celestial city. The glory of God is the 
element in which hoi v beings live. See Exo. 31:29 — 
35. II Cor. 3:7—18. 

Jeremiah Evarts, Esq., Secretary of A. B„ C. F. 
M., who died in 1831, uttered these, his expiring 
words—*' WoiuTe-rful ! wonderfil 1 wonderful glo- 
ry ! — we tan not ecfriipreJretilt I wonderful glory J Je- 
.stls reigns, ivoiulsrful glory) 1 i_l rill praise him" 
Rev. Edward Payson, a short time before his death, 
Baid: a I seem to swim in a fid od of £lory winch God 
pMirs down upon me. itith&rto I Mve viewed (rod 
as a fixed Star, bright indeed — but now lie is coming 
nearer and nearer and spreads into a Sun, so 
vast and glorious, that the sight is too dazzling for 
fl&sh and blood to sustain. 1 see clearly that all 
these same glories and dazzling perfections which 
now serve only to kindle my affections into a flame, 
and to melt down my soul into the same blessed im- 
age, would burn and scorch me like consuming fire, 
if I were an Unpenitent sinner." Multitudes of dy- 
ing christians have had such visions ot\gldi;y. 'Se£ 
Acts 7:55. 



16 A SoLAiJ IH.AV.LX 

Is there anything in the Word of God, or the na- 
ture of things, to prove or indicate that our glorious 
world, our source of light, is not the Saints' world of 
glory? their celestial Jerusalem \ and a worshipping, 
location of the ang mr Solar System I 

III. The Sun is the Metropolis of our Solar Sys- 
tem, its seat of government, and at the same time 

Divinely appointed ruler. AW the pianets, moons 
and comets in his dominion are loyal to him. Diso- 
bedience to their Solar King's commands would prove 
their certain ruin. He draws them all with his con- 
stant centripetal force — his mighty attracting influ- 
ence, or sends them out to repeat their cycles. They 
how around him , they are dependent upon him ior 
their safety, light, usefulness and beauty. Is it nat- 
ural to suppose that < : >uPd take his heirs, and 
joint heirs with his Son, at death from tins sj^stem, 
and not permit them to visit and enjoy its world of 
worlds? its most splendid oa I 

IV. We are beings created in this particular So- 
lar System. We form a part of its physical, mental 
and spiritual creation. Reason would lead us to con- 
clude that we would remain in it until we had an- 
swered an important purpose. Is it probable that we 
would accomplish the design for which we became a 
part of this system in so brief a period as the short 
existence we have in the body ? In this system will 
sleep the dust of our decayed nature till the morning 
of the resurrection. Here, so far as we can see x are 



A SOLAR IIEAVEX. *[*? 

fimple means for our highest mental and spiritual 
good for thousands of ages. If at death we are not 
removed from this Solar System, its greatest, and 
most glorious location is its center of attraction, its 
celestial Mount Zion, where we could meet to worship 
God and the Lamb, and from that heavenly observa- 
tory i with the ken of' r&deeinfctt Spirits, look out not 
only on the sublime works of cr'etitkm connected with 
our system, but far out in the vast ocean of solar sys- 
tems ! 

V. Minds are so made as to be gradually devel- 
oped. The child progresses from one step ot knowl- 
edge to another, and as age advances with proper ap- 
plication the mental powers are augmented. The 
christian from spiritual infancy, grows in grace and 
Divine knowledge. It will ever be true in all parts 
of the universe, that created mind will obtain knowl- 
edge by a gradual progress. As we leave at death 
this locality, as then our mode of existence will be 
changed, and we shall no longer see spiritual beings 
and things eternal (at present to us invisible) "through 
a glass darkly, but face to face ;" if we are in a prop- 
er moral state, "holy as God is holy," we shall be 
prepared to enter upon advanced studies. Where 
could we under more favorable circumstances pursue 
them than in some mansion in our system ? Where 
could we take lessons suited to our capacities better 
than at its splendid Metropolis ? Perhaps at times 
we would visit our planets and their inhabitants. 



IS A fe'OLAE IIKAVKk. 

When -in eternity we should become well acquainted 
with all things neces&arj for us to know in this sys- 
tem, we no doubt would be advanced to another 
higher in the scale of creation, and so on eternally 
from one system to another. 

This Theory seems much more plausible than the 
idea that heaven is at the center of the universe, a 
world as large as all the worlds in it combined, and 
around which all revolve. Of what particular ad- 
vantage can a mere abstract idea of the immensity 
ot God's works be to a finite mind ( I regard each 
solar system as a Vast volume of' the Creator's works, 
aiUl £very orb belonging to it as a chapter in that vol- 
ume. It looks reasonable 'that we in taking lessons 
irt. respect to the maai testation of God's attributes, as 
Made known in his works, should become well ac- 
quainted with one Volume before commencing the 
study of another. 

VI. The Word of God describes heaven as thd 
u Xew\Jerusalem." Jerusalem was the capital of the 
Jewish nation. The people living in cities, towns^ 
and in the country, were commanded to meet in th£ 
Metropolis at specified times, and on special occa- 
sions ; to bring their offerings and do business of H 
designated kind. So our Solar capital may be the 
gathering place where the inhabitants of our planets 
present their spiritual offerings, and do such things 
as God requires. Said Paul to the Hebrews: "But 
v ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of 



A SOLAR. BEATS?. 13 

the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an 
innumerable company of angels, and to the general 
assembly and church of the first born, which are writ- 
^en in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to 
the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus 
the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood 
of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that 
of Aheh" Heaven is the place for the general con- 
vocation of ail the orders of holy beings, revealed to 
us as existing in ou? system. — Is it not evident that 
our central world h that location ? 

VII. Heaven is spoken <4 \$ tU£ Bib'lo &s $ tem-_ 
pie. "Therefore are they before the throne of God, 
and serve him day and night in his temple." In the 
Jewish temple, for years, was the Shekinah, the visi- 
ble manifestation of Jehovah. There h : $ i&ftde *»o\Y$ 
his will ; there was the high priest \ there were the 
attending priests ;• thera sacrifi^^s were offered pre- 
figuring the slaying of the Lamb of God for the sins 
ot mankind ; there were different kinds of worship 
not permitted in any other place; there was beauti- 
ful architecture ; there were costly vessels of silver 
and gold ; there were imposing ceremonies — all 
things in that sacred place were in keeping with its 
holy design. So in the Sanctum Sanctorum of &ur 
system may angels and saints ever worship before the 
throne of God, and serve him as he manifests his ce- 
lestial Shekinah, and makes known his will. Here 
woi\ld be Jesus cnir King and High Priest ; here sey- 



20 A SOLAR HEATED. 

vice and worship different from that required in the 
planets ; here the most beautiful architecture, as the 
"builder and maker is God ; " here singing of saints 
and angels ; and here delightful ceremonies, beauty 
and sublimity surpassing our conception. Every- 
thing in this world of glory and blessedness would 
be in keeping with Christ in his glorified state ; with 
holy angels and the saints in their exalted, s&ved. 
condition. 



A SOL All HEAVEN. 21 

INFERENCES. 

1. This Solar Heaven Theory, to a superlative de- 
gree, magnifies God in his creation of worlds, sys- 
tems and orders of intelligent beings. If our vast 
system is a perfect whole in itself, and yet in an eter- 
nal and generic purpose is but one .among millions 
upon millions of similar systems, which all must ad- 
mit; if all the innumerable systems are inhabited 
with loyal and happy subjects in God's government, 
and they worship him in their Solar Heaven, which 
no one can disprove, who can comprehend to what 
extent they in the aggregate glorify Him? What 
an infinitude of dazzling, commingling splendor ! 
"Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, 
and is, and is to come." 

2. In view of this Theory we would naturally in- 
fer that God in Unity, in his essence, does not dwell 
in any Solar Heaven ; but from his eternal, immut- 
able and glorious dwelling place, above all creation, 
in a manner unknown to us, clearly and gloriously 
manifests himself, his will, his complacent smiles, and 
his natural and moral attributes to all holy beings in 
the universe m their respective localities, and partic- 
ularly to them in their Solar Temple. He being in- 
finite in all his periections, can do this at the same 
time in all the innumerable solar systems in his 
boundless dominion. This idea is in accordance with 



22 A SOLAR ilEAYfrX. 

a proper exegesis of those passages of scripture which 
speak of saints seeing* God, and Ids face in heaven. 
There is no evidence that God in Unity ever chang- 
es his locality, as created finite beings pass from one 
■p.laC'O to another, or, that he dwells literally in any 
part of his creation. '"-Thus saitli the high and lofty 
One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; 
I dwell in the high and holy place." Isa. 57:15. 
'•Look down from heaven and behold from the habi- 
tation of thy holiness and ot thy glory." Jsa. 03:15. 
Gad, by the efficiency of his attributes is in every place 
in the universe. In some places, as in heaven, lie is 
present in a special sense. Christ, "The brightness 
of the Father's glory, and express image of his per- 
son," with his glorilied body is seen, loved and adored 
by saints and angels in heaven, where he gloriously 
manifests the Divine perfections. See John 1:1S. 

3. If our solar system, is perfect in itself, though a 
part of an infinite whole, then we see why holy an- 
gels (in our system) are represented as feeling so 
much interest in and as having so much to do with 
our race in this world. Hence their toy when sin- 
ners repent, their encampments around christians, 
and "ministering for those who shall be heirs of sal- 
vation/' conveying their souls at death to heaven ; 
being present and active at the resurrection of the 
just and unjust; and we see the reason why they are 
lellow worshippers with the redeemed in heaven* It 
is evident why they are subject to Christ;, and wor- 



A SOLAR II LA VEX ^3 

Btiip him ; why they announced his advent; protect- 
ed him in his in fiii icy ; ministered to him when he 
was on earth; were employed at his resurrect ion, 
and will come with him when he returns to earth in 
his own, and his Father's glory. We see also why 
tiio devil and his angels, when banished from their 
limitation, were permitted t or sent to dwell in this 
world and system rather than m any other; Why 
they are to bo judged at the time God has appointed 
to judge the inhabitants of our world, and why the 
filially impenitent of mankind will penally suffer in 
the place prepared for the punishment of the rebel 
angels. 

As different nations on earth constitute one race, 
so the various orders of angels in our system may be 
Giie family in a Unity of Divine purpose ; and the hu- 
man and angelic beings in our system may in this 
generic sense oe one. 

4. We see in the light of this Thfeoty why God 
is revealed to us in Trinity. In a world of solar sys- 
tem where moral evil never entered, or where a re* 
medial system was never introduced, what advantage 
could be a revealed Trinity i The office work of the 
Son of God as a Savior, and of the Holy Spirit in 
securing salvation, could not with them be realized, 
or personally enjoyed. The inhabitants of such a 
world or system would worship and serve God in 
Unity; they could not sing a song of praise for their 
salvation to God and the Lamb. Should God make 



2i A qoLAr heaviest. 

known to holy beings in any part of Lis universe tli0 
plan of our salvation, they would praise and glorify 
him, as it would manifest Ills wisdom, love, mercy, 
and all his attributes connected with it. No intelli- 
gent created being can have knowledge of God great- 
er than he can obtain from the manifestation of the 
Divine perfections. To the extent a holy being be- 
comes acquainted with the manifested nature of God, 
lie will laud, love and adore him. So far as We can 
see, a remedial system makes known most of the Di- 
vine moral attributes, as they are not seen under a 
system of law. A revealed Trinity of persons in the 
Godhead, connected witli a system of grace, is & sine 
qua non of our salvation. 

God may to intelligent beings in other systems, 
manifest himself in various ways, and to an extent 
entirely unknown to us. 

h\ The conflagration of our earth will not affect our 
solar system as such. We have no evidence from as- 
tronomical discoveries that the Creator, ever created 
or destroyed an entire Solar System at once. Our 
system may have existed ages before God expended 
the six days work upon the chaotic mass from which 
he made the earth. In the Scriptures things are oft- 
en spoken of as they appear, and not as they really 
are. As matter is not annihilated by being consum- 
ed, but only changed in its form, our world after it is 
burned up may be remade, and be a beautiful abode 
for intelligent beings. It still being in our system 



A SOLAR HEAVEN". 25 

the redeemed may visit it. 

6. This Theory makes heaven appear to Le a more 
definite and a nearer location than the common ideas 
concerning it. Mr. Normand Smith, who died in 
Hartford, Conn., a few years ago, when dying cried 
out. — "Home! home! I see ike New Jerusalem! 
th ey pva ise Him ! ill ey pra ise Him ! " 

Senator Foot, of Vermont, who died in Washing- 
ton, D. C, March, 1886, when expiring exclaimed, 
' % I see the gates wide open! beautiful! beautiful! 
I see it ! Thee it! the gates wide open ! beautiful! 
beautiful!" 

Many departing christians have had a glorious 
view of the celestial city, as if it were near, and not 
an immense distance from our Solar System. 

7. To the inhabitants of our earth a PREPARATION for 
heaven is of far greater importance than a knowledge of 
its exact locality. "Without holiness no man shall see 
the Lord." "xind there shall in no wise enter into it /the 
heavenly city) anything that defileth, or worketh abomin- 
ation, or maketh a lie ; but they which are written in the 
Lamb's book of life." To be prepared for that blessed 
abode we must love Jesus and keep his commands, be 
prayerful, humble, watchful and faithful christians. Be 
holy as God is holy. 

Christian friends, we shall find our celestial mansion a 
location of ineffable beauty and glory, where we ghall ex- 
pand our minds as God manifests to us his natural and mor- 
al attributes, as we study his works, the principles of his 
moral government, and worship him and the Lamb ? in thp 



2*3 A SOLAK HEAVi:*. 

sublimity, felicity and beauty of perfect holirfpss. Let qg 

be faithful unto death, and we shall triumph over it, and 
])V angels be carried from earth to ''the city of the living 
God, the heavenly Jerusalem/-' where we shall receive 
frowns of glory. 

^\s the student graduates he may feel a little sad as he 
leaves his college, the chapel, recitation room, his own 
room, his president, teachers and companions: but he re- 
joices in the knowledge lie has gained, and that In; is pre- 
pared to enter upon rqore advanced studies, or engage in 
the active duties and business of life. So the christian at 
death may feel a momentary regret as he graduates in the 
Seminary of Grace; as he leaves this world, his college, 
where he has learned ail he knows of tlfmgs physical, 
mental and spiritual j a/} he departs from his room, las 
body, where lie has learnecj all his lessons of grace ; as 
}ie leaves the church, his chapel, where he has joyfully 
and profitably worshipped God in fi'huty ; as he leaves 
Jus school companions, his dear christian friends s and as 
he leaves his teachers, his minister and religious instruct- 
ors — but he rejoices exceedingly that he has learned of 
Jesus, and has been taught of God, and is prepared by 
grace to enter upon the advanced studies of the heavenly 
world ; and the blessed and most profitable business of the 
e.elestial city. 

Earth's side of the dark door of death may be, abstract- 
ly, and according to a natural love of life, an unpleasant 
eight even to a child of Cod, but in the hour of his depart- 
ure this repulsive view is exchanged for j<>y unspeakable 
and full of glory ; as heaven's side of death's door is most 
ejitei|ng resplendence. The wider it opens the less its so$; 



K SOLAK HEAVEK, 2 I 

ber appearance is seen, and the more ot the effulgence of 
that world which is illuminated with the glory of God and 
the Lamb. How blessed are the emotions and bright 'the 
prospect? of the expiring christian, as he launches out 
upon the vast ocean of the Glory of God — exchanging the 
twilight and imperfection of faith and hope*for % the une- 
clipsed sight and perfect enjoyment of things spiritual, 
heavenly and eternal. 

It is not so with the ungenerate man ; his moral nature 
being unilluminated by grace, with fearful apprehension, 
he is ushered into a world of "blackness of darkness. 
As he "is driven away in his wickedness, " the weighty 
burden of his guilt settles down upon his neglected soul, 
and as the last ray of hope expires, he passes out from a 
misspent probationary state, and a day of salvation, into a 
condition of righteous retribution. "The sting of death is 
Bin." "The wages of sin is death." 

A few more days, my christian friends, and we, "clothed 
with white robes," shall walk heaven's golden streets with 
the redeemed of all ages, and behold with ecstatic joy our 
dear Redeemer, "face to face." May we all so live that 
after death we may know by felicitous experience, "WHERE 
and WHAT IS the heaven of the saints in glory. 



"Fair distant land ! could mortal eyes 
But half its charms explore, 

IIow would our spirits long to rise, 
And dwell on earth no more," 



2S X BOhAE HEATENJ 

"JERUSALEM !— my happy borne ! 

Name ever dear to me,- — 
When shall my labors have'an end, 

In joy, and peace, and thee ? 

When shall these eyes thy heayen-built walls 

And pearly gates behold ? 
Thy bulwarks, with salvation strong, 

And streets of shining gold ? 

Oh ! when, thou city of my God ! 

Shall I thy courts ascend ? — 
Where congregations ne'er break up* 

And Sabbaths never end, 

Why should I shrink at pain or wo, 

Or feel, at death, dismay ] 
Jerusalem I soon shall view, 

In realms of endless day. 

Redeemed saints and angels, there* 

Around my Saviour stand ; 
And soon my friends in Christ below 

Will join the glorious band. 

Jerusalem ! — my happy home ! 

My soul still pants for thee ; 
Then shall my labors have an end-, 

When I thy joys shall see/* 



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